Football players endure severe weather as the football season progresses further in fall toward winter. With most fields being open air, the potential for cold temperatures and windy conditions increases, especially in the Midwest and East coast. The cold affects players' abilities. Exposure to sufficiently cold temperatures can cause numbness in the extremities, notably the hands for football players. This has a number of performance-related implications on catching and throwing the ball in particular.
Handwarmers
The supposed fanny packs worn by football players during games are actually none other than hand warmers. These are devices worn around the waist, cylindrical in shape, with openings on either end for the player to insert their hands. These hand warmers are made of material designed to trap heat and keep out cold air, as well as wick away moisture to keep players' sweat from freezing on their skin.
Construction
The hand warmers are constructed of thermal material to circulate warm air can keep moisture off the skin. Polyester, polypropylene, acrylic, nylon and elastic are used in woven to produce the final product.
Effects of Cold
Prolonged exposure of several hours to cold temperatures can have health impacts on skin. In football players, the most common affected areas are the hands, with effects ranging from discomfort, to chilblains or even frostbite. Aside from overall health concerns, the impact of symptoms of chilblains such as tingling, swelling or numbness can have significant effects on a player's performance. Because the quarterback and receivers are most likely to have regular contact with the ball using their hands, hand warmers are of particular importance to these positions.
Extreme Cold in Football
Football has suffered a number of extremely cold matches in its history. Famous for being the coldest game ever, the 1967 NFL championship game between the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys in Green Bay, Wisconsin, saw a low temperature of -13 degrees F, with wind chill further decreasing the effective temperature to an unheard of -48 degrees. The match has since become known as the "ice bowl."
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